Lace-bearing for shoes



(No Model.)

w. P. BLISS. LACE BEARING FOR SHOES.

No. 565,131. Patented Augy i, 1896.

Inventor.

Witnesses.

Attorney.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM P. BLISS, OF AURORA SPRINGS, MISSOURI.

LACE-BEARlNG FOR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 565,131, dated August 4, 1896.

Application filed May 9, 189dx Serial No. 590,919. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM P. Buss, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Aurora Springs, in the county of Miller and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lace-Bearings for Shoes, 850.; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to lacehearings for shoes, &c. and the object is to provide a simple, cheap, and durable device of this kind to facilitate the lacing and unlacing of shoes and similar laced articles, such as corsets, stays, and the like; and to this end the novelty consists in the construction, combi-- nation, and arrangement of the parts of the same, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings the same letters of reference indicate the same parts of the invention.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a shoe with myimproved lace-hearing applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the lacehcaring with the parts separated, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same.

A is the stud, and it consists of an integral piece of metal having a central circular collar a, a bearing-stud a, and a rivet 61?, the lower end of which has a central internal countersunk recess a The washer B is provided with a central orifice I), having a circumferential countersunk recess through which the rivet a passes.

()n the heai'ing stud a is a revolving sleeve 0, having a hearing a and a convex-faced flange c. The longitudinal hearing (2 is a trifle larger than the stud a, on which it freely revolves, and the outer end 0 of said hearing 0 is countersunk internally, so that when. the sleeve is placed on the stud a, which is slightly longer than the bearing 0 a few light taps with a riveting-hammer will throw up a bur on the stud, which forms a head filling the countersink in the end 0 which prevents the sleeve coming off and at the same time permits the sleeve to revolve freely on the stud.

In practice a hole is punched in the leather or cloth atthe proper point and the rivet a through the material. The washer B is then placed over the rivet with its countersunk recess b on the outside, and by spreading the countersunk end a outwardly the metal of which it is composed forms a head or bur, which completely fills the countersink b of the washer B, making a smooth bevel-face with the face of the washer, and at the same time firmly secures the lace-bearing to the material.

A very important point in this invention is that it requires no special tool or mechanical skill to apply it, and when in use it presents a smooth surface to the stocking, sock, or other undergarment with which it comes in contact.

When the parts are all. secured together on the shoe, as shown, the outer cylindrical portion 0 forms a friction-pulley, which permits the easy lacing and unlacing of the shoe and at the same time allows the lacing to come and go, or automatically adjust itself to the different bearings when a person is'ia ng or stooping, thus equalizing the strain on the lacing at all points between the instep and the ankle.

Although I have specifically described the construction and relative arrangement of the several elements of my invention, I do not desire to be confined to the same, as such changes or modifications may he made as clearly fall within the scope of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

A lace-bearing for shoes, consisting of the stud a, integral collar a and rivet a, the lower end of which is provided with an internal countersunk recess a in combination with the washer B, having the central orifice b and the circumferential countersunk recess b and the sleeve 0, having the cylindrical lace hearing surface 0 the convex-faced flange c and the countersunk end 0 substan tially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM P, BLISS. Witnesses V Jenn A. Rounn, ANDY FARRIS.

inserted, which projects a short distance 

